أَباO father of حَسَنٍHasan إِنَّindeed الرَسائِلَletters إِنَّماonly
أَبا حَسَنٍ إِنَّ الرَسائِلَ إِنَّما
تُذَكِّرُremind ذاone possessed of السَهوِforgetfulness الطَويلِprolonged المُغَمَّراengulfed
تُذَكِّرُ ذا السَهوِ الطَويلِ المُغَمَّرا
O Abū Ḥasan, letters do no more than
Abu Hasan, letters only
remind one steeped in long forgetfulness.
remind one engulfed in prolonged forgetfulness.
وَمَنand whoever كانَتاwere (both) عَيناهُhis two eyes حَشوَwithin ضَميرِهِhis heart
وَمَن كانَتا عَيناهُ حَشوَ ضَميرِهِ
فَلَيسَthen he is not بِمُحتاجٍin need إِلىof أَنthat يُذَكَّراhe be reminded
فَلَيسَ بِمُحتاجٍ إِلى أَن يُذَكَّرا
Yet one whose eyes themselves fill his inmost heart
And one whose two eyes lie within his heart
has no need to be reminded.
has no need to be reminded.
